Photon collection from a trapped ion--cavity system

We present the design and implementation of a trapped ion cavity QED system. A single ytterbium ion is confined by a micron-scale ion trap inside a 2 mm optical cavity. The ion is coherently pumped by near resonant laser light while the cavity output is monitored as a function of pump intensity and cavity detuning. We observe a Purcell enhancement of scattered light into the solid angle subtended by the optical cavity, as well as a three-peak structure arising from strongly driving the atom. This system can be integrated into existing atom{photon quantum network protocols and is a pathway towards an efficient atom{photon quantum interface

Urinary Eosinophil Protein X in Children with Atopic Asthma

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between urinary eosinophil protein X (uEPX) and asthma symptoms, lung function, and other markers of eosinophilic airway inflammation in asthmatic school children. Methods. A cross-sectional study was performed in 180 steroid dependent atopic children with stable moderately severe asthma, who were stable on 200 or 500μg of fluticasone per day. uEPX was measured in a single sample of urine and was normalized for creatinine concentration (uEPX/c). Symptom scores were kept on a diary card. FEV1 and PD20 methacholine were measured. Sputum induction was performed in 49 and FENO levels measured in 24 children. Results. We found an inverse correlation between uEPX/c and FEV1 (r = −.20, P = .01) and a borderline significant correlation between uEPX/c and PD20 methacholine (r = −.15, P = .06). Symptom score, %eosinophils and ECP in induced sputum and FENO levels did not correlate with uEPX/c. Conclusion. uEPX/c levels did not correlate with established markers of asthma severity and eosinophilic airway inflammation in atopic asthmatic children

'Reaching the hard to reach' - lessons learned from the VCS (voluntary and community Sector). A qualitative study.

Background The notion 'hard to reach' is a contested and ambiguous term that is commonly used within the spheres of social care and health, especially in discourse around health and social inequalities. There is a need to address health inequalities and to engage in services the marginalized and socially excluded sectors of society. Methods This paper describes a pilot study involving interviews with representatives from eight Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisations . The purpose of the study was to explore the notion of 'hard to reach' and perceptions of the barriers and facilitators to accessing services for 'hard to reach' groups from a voluntary and community sector perspective. Results The 'hard to reach' may include drug users, people living with HIV, people from sexual minority communities, asylum seekers, refugees, people from black and ethnic minority communities, and homeless people although defining the notion of the 'hard to reach' is not straight forward. It may be that certain groups resist engaging in treatment services and are deemed hard to reach by a particular service or from a societal stance. There are a number of potential barriers for people who may try and access services, including people having bad experiences in the past; location and opening times of services and how services are funded and managed. A number of areas of commonality are found in terms of how access to services for 'hard to reach' individuals and groups could be improved including: respectful treatment of service users, establishing trust with service users, offering service flexibility, partnership working with other organisations and harnessing service user involvement. Conclusions: If health services are to engage with groups that are deemed 'hard to reach' and marginalised from mainstream health services, the experiences and practices for engagement from within the VCS may serve as useful lessons for service improvement for statutory health services

Efficient Photoionization-Loading of Trapped Cadmium Ions with Ultrafast Pulses

Atomic cadmium ions are loaded into radiofrequency ion traps by photoionization of atoms in a cadmium vapor with ultrafast laser pulses. The photoionization is driven through an intermediate atomic resonance with a frequency-quadrupled mode-locked Ti:Sapphire laser that produces pulses of either 100 fsec or 1 psec duration at a central wavelength of 229 nm. The large bandwidth of the pulses photoionizes all velocity classes of the Cd vapor, resulting in high loading efficiencies compared to previous ion trap loading techniques. Measured loading rates are compared with a simple theoretical model, and we conclude that this technique can potentially ionize every atom traversing the laser beam within the trapping volume. This may allow the operation of ion traps with lower levels of background pressures and less trap electrode surface contamination. The technique and laser system reported here should be applicable to loading most laser-cooled ion species.Comment: 11 pages, 12 figure

Demonstration of a Scalable, Multiplexed Ion Trap for Quantum Information Processing

Author's final manuscript: July 9, 2009A scalable, multiplexed ion trap for quantum information processing is fabricated and tested. The trap design and fabrication process are optimized for scalability to small trap size and large numbers of interconnected traps, and for integration of control electronics and optics. Multiple traps with similar designs are tested with [superscript 111]Cd[superscript +], [superscript 25]Mg[superscript +], and [superscript 88]Sr[superscript +] ions at room temperature and with [superscript 88]Sr[superscript +] at 6 K, with respective ion lifetimes of 90 s, 300 ± 30 s, 56 ± 6 s, and 4.5 ± 1.1 hours. The motional heating rate for [superscript 25]Mg[superscript +] at room temperature and a trap frequency of 1.6 MHz is measured to be 7 ± 3 quanta per millisecond. For [superscript 88]Sr[superscript +] at 6 K and 540 kHz the heating rate is measured to be 220 ± 30 quanta per second.United States. Intelligence Advanced Research Projects ActivityNational Institute of Standards and Technology (U.S.) (Quantum Information Program

Modules, networks and systems medicine for understanding disease and aiding diagnosis

Many common diseases, such as asthma, diabetes or obesity, involve altered interactions between thousands of genes. High-throughput techniques (omics) allow identification of such genes and their products, but functional understanding is a formidable challenge. Network-based analyses of omics data have identified modules of disease-associated genes that have been used to obtain both a systems level and a molecular understanding of disease mechanisms. For example, in allergy a module was used to find a novel candidate gene that was validated by functional and clinical studies. Such analyses play important roles in systems medicine. This is an emerging discipline that aims to gain a translational understanding of the complex mechanisms underlying common diseases. In this review, we will explain and provide examples of how network-based analyses of omics data, in combination with functional and clinical studies, are aiding our understanding of disease, as well as helping to prioritize diagnostic markers or therapeutic candidate genes. Such analyses involve significant problems and limitations, which will be discussed. We also highlight the steps needed for clinical implementation

Targeted exhaled breath analysis for detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis patients

Background Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is an important respiratory pathogen for cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Routine microbiology surveillance is time-consuming, and is best performed on expectorated sputum. As alternative, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may be indicative of PA colonisation. In this study, we aimed to identify VOCs associated with PA in literature and perform targeted exhaled breath analysis to recognize PA positive CF patients non-invasively. Methods This study consisted of 1) a literature review to select VOCs of interest, and 2) a cross-sectional CF study. Definitions used: A) PA positive, PA culture at visit/chronically; B) PA free, no PA culture in ≥12 months. Exhaled VOCs were identified via quadrupole MS. The primary endpoint was the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROCC) of individual VOCs as well as combined VOCs against PA culture. Results 241 VOCs were identified in literature, of which 56 were further evaluated, and 13 could be detected in exhaled breath in our cohort. Exhaled breath of 25 pediatric and 28 adult CF patients, PA positive (n=16) and free (n=28) was available. 3/13 VOCs were significantly (p<0.05) different between PA groups in children; none were in adults. Notably, a composite model based on 5 or 1 VOC(s) showed an AUROCC of 0.86 (CI 0.71–1.0) and 0.87 (CI 0.72–1.0) for adults and children, respectively. Conclusions Targeted VOC analysis appears to discriminate children and adults with and without PA positive cultures with clinically acceptable sensitivity values

Building climate resilience through nature-based solutions in Europe: A review of enabling knowledge, finance and governance frameworks

The European Union (EU) has firmly positioned itself as a global leader in promoting and implementing nature-based solutions (NBS). The recently released EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change, and Forest Strategy - all representing key pillars of the ambitious European Green Deal (EGD) - rely on NBS to both preserve and restore ecosystem integrity and increase climate resilience. Although research and policy in Europe have advanced the conceptualization and operationalization of NBS, a much wider adoption is needed to reach the ambitious goals of the EGD and fulfil its vision of transforming into a sustainable, climate-neutral, climate resilient, fair, and prosperous EU by 2050. In this paper, we review recent EU-supported research, policy, and practices to identify critical dimensions that still need to be addressed for greater uptake of NBS. While recognising the multiple societal challenges NBS can target, we build on the key messages from the ‘5th European Climate Change Adaptation conference ECCA 2021′ and focus our analysis on NBS for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction. We screen a wide range of NBS cases across the EU and identify-three core challenges to implementation: the lack of a comprehensive evidence base on the effectiveness of NBS to address targeted challenges; the need for a greater involvement of the private sector in financing NBS; and opportunities for enhancing stakeholder engagement in the successful design and implementation of NBS. We take these challenges as the starting point for a broader reflection and critical discussion on the role of i) knowledge, i) finance, including investments in NBS and divestments from nature-negative projects, and iii) governance and policy frameworks to enable the uptake of NBS. We conclude by identifying options for the EU to foster the uptake of NBS in research, policy and practice